The technology behind cleaning clothes has spun through more than a few cycles over the last century, from clunky hand-cranked machines to today's gleaming appliances that can detect a load's size and even how much grime is ground into the fabric. Soon, those who delight in living the clean life could be awash in an even newer twist.

The technology behind cleaning clothes has spun through more than a few cycles over the last century, from clunky hand-cranked machines to today's gleaming appliances that can detect a load's size and even how much grime is ground into the fabric.

Even as Maytag considers a third buyout proposal, from rival Whirlpool, the Maytag brand is in need of repair. The American icon, whose ads feature the lonely Maytag repairman, is considering a $2.2 billion offer made Sunday by Whirlpool.

Every day, consumers plunk down millions of dollars for cell phones, computers and high-end electronics that are supposed to make their lives better. And every night, they lie awake worrying that their new PCs or plasma TVs will spontaneously combust the day their warranty expires.